Bottleholder



Aug. 29, 1950 P. HAYWA 2,520,203

BoTTLEHoLDER Filed Nov. 9, 194e 2e le 25e 25d 3 4 FIG?) INVENTOR PETERHAYWA ATTORNEYS Patented ug. 29, 1950 lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE iClaims.

My invention relates to bottle holders and has for an object to providea bottle holder by means of which bottles may be readily picked up andcarried about and readily released from the holder when desired.

An object of the invention resides in providing a holder in which thebottles are iirmly held in position so that the same may be inserted asa group into a case or other carrier for the bottles.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a holder inwhich the likelihood of injury to the bottles is greatly reduced.

A feature of the invention resides in constructing the holder with aframe formed with spaced upper and lower plates, said plates having rowsof holes therein overlying one another and adapted to form pairs ofregistering holes through which the necks of the bottles may beinserted.

Another object of the invention resides in mounting in said holes,nipples for the reception of said bottles, said nipples beingconstructed of a relatively soft, flexible material such as rubber orthe like.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the nipples withflanges adapted to overlie the outer surfaces of the plates of saidframe and holding the nipples attached to the frame.

A feature of the invention resides in forming the nipples ared at theirlower ends to facilitate insertion of the necks of the bottles into saidnipples.

An object of the invention resides in providing a gang clamp slidablewithin the space between said frame plates and adapted to simultaneouslyengage all of the nipples to urge the same against the bottles and holdthe bottles mounted in the holder.

Another object of the invention resides in attaching to the upper plate,a bail and in pivoting thereto -a lever having an arm adapted to engagethe gang clamp and to shift the same along said frame.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the bail with ahandle and in constructing the lever with an arm extending generally inthe same direction as said handle and in close proximity thereto wherebythe gang clamp may be operated upon manipulation of the lever and handleand the lever held in position while the holder is being carried about.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the gang clampfrom a rod and in making the same serpentine in form with spacedtransverse grip members adapted to engage the nipples of the holder.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing stopshaving portions overlying certain of the holes in said plates to limitthe downward movement of the holder on the bottles.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterillustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle holder illustrating anembodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with portions ofthe same broken away to illustrate the gang clamp of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevational sectional Viewl taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2

and illustrating the parts in altered position.

In the use of bottle holders for transporting a plurality o-f bottles,breakage and injury to the bottles frequently results due to the contactof the bottles with the metal of the holder and due to the insecuremanner in which the bottles are supported in the holder. Such devicesfrequently require separate operations for locking the bottles withinthe holder, thus making such devices slow and inconvenient to use. Thepresent invention provides a construction whereby the bottles may bequickly and easily mounted in the holder and when so positioned are rmlyand securely attached thereto in a manner to prevent injury to thebottles.

My improved bottle holder comprises a frame A which consists of an upperplate ID and a lower plate Il spaced therefrom to provide a space I2therebetween. The plate IE! has depending flanges i3 extendingdownwardly along the edges thereof, while the plate I I has similarflanges I4 extending upwardly therefrom. The flanges I4 are receivedwithin the flanges I3 and engage the plate I0 to hold the plate IIproperly spaced from the plate I0. When the plates are assembled,indentations I5 may be formed in the flanges I3 and I4 which secure theparts together.

The plate I0 has a row of holes It formed therein which are somewhatlarger than the necks of the bottles with which the holder is to beused. The plate II has companion holes Il disposed opposite the holesI6. The holes I6 and I'I register with one another so as to provideopenings through the frame and through which' the necks of the bottlesmay be inserted. In the holes I6 and I'I are applied nipples I8 constructed of rubber or some other similar, suitable elastic material.These nipples have tubular portions I9 which pass through the frame andwhich have issuing outwardly therefrom, spaced flanges 2I and 22. Theflanges 2| overlie the outermost surface of the plate I while the anges22 underlie the outermost surface of the plate II'. These flanges holdthe nipples securely attached to the frame A andY yet permit, ofcompressing the tubular portions. lvthereof to graspthe necks of thebottles with which the holder is to be used. The nipples I8 have ilaredportions 23 which extend below the tubular portions ll) and lie incontinuation thereof. These ared portions` assist in guiding the necksof the bottles, into the nipples.

Within the space I2 in theV frame A is disposed a gang clamp 24. Thisclamp is preferably constructed of a round rod or wire and is Serpentinein form being provided with transverse grip members or portions 25, theindividuali members be-` ing specifically designated by the-referenceIcharm actersa, b, c, etc., and with connecting portions 25. and 21therebetween. These connecting perV tionsl are disposed on oppositesides of! thcclamp and are adapted to engage the flanges I4 of the plateI which serve to guide the clamp-for movement within the space t2. Thegrip members 25 are provided' one for each nipple t8 and are normallydisposed in the position shown in Fig. 2 adjacent the said nipples. Whenthe gang cla-mp 2'4 is moved toward the lef-tv as. shown in Fig'. 4, thevarious grip members engage the tubular portions i9 of the nipples IS'and flatten the same as shown in Fig. 4. This causes thev said nipplesto grip the necks of the bottles and to hold the same mounted in theholder; At the end ofthe gang clamp 24 is provided` an arm 28 which isadapted to engage a U--shaped leaf spring 29, disposed within the spaceI2 at the end ofthe same. This spring normally urges the gang clamp 24to the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the end grip member 25a engagesthe flange I3V of the plate I0.

IThe holder is carried about bymeans of a bail 3l which consists oi a.handle 32 and two. legs. 33 and 3d connected therewith. This bail isconstrueted from sheet metal being channel-shaped in form and the legs3.3. and. 3 4 have ears 35, ex. u

tending outwardly from the lowermost ends of the same. Rivets 36extending throughsaid ears and the top plate i6. serve toY secure thebail 3| to the .plate Iii. Within the confines of the. bail 3i is. anL-shaped lever 31. having a substantially horizontal arm 3,8` andasubstantially vertical arm 39. The arm 39 has ears 4I extending out.-wardly therefrom which straddle the legs 34 and which are pivotallyconnectedto said leg by means of a rivet 42 which extends jointlythrough said ears and leg. The lowermost end 43 of the arm 3S. projectsthrough ahole 44. in t .e plate I0 and intok the space I2 or frame Awhere the same is adapted to engage the grip member 25C of the gangclamp 2li. When the arm 33, of lever 3T is raised upwardly the entiregang clamp,A is moved toward the left as viewed in Fig. 3 and thevarious grip members 2,5 urged against the tubularportions IS of thenipples I S, A U-shaped keeper;

4%.3 pivoted to the holder 32 by means of a rivet,V

46 is adapted to be swung inposition to engage the extreme end of thearm 33 of lever `3.7.- to. hold the same its uppermostv position asshown in` Fig. 1. This holdsv the bOilles mounted in the holder and`prevents disengagement of( the; holder,

4 therefrom until the lever 31 is lowered to its po sition shown in Fig.3.

Fol' the purpose of limiting the entry of the necks of the bottles intothe nipples I8, two U- shaped stops 41 are employed. These stops havelegs 48 which are secured to the upper plate I0 and connecting portions49 therebetween adapted to overlie the nipples I8 with which the saidstops are associated.V The legs48 are spaced a sufcient distancetostraddle the said nipples'. The stops 41 are preferably arranged atthe two end nipples of. the device whereby the two end bottles serve tolimit the entry of the necks of all of the bottles in the row into thevarious nipples.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention, anumber of bottles have been indicatedin. dottedf lines at 5I in Figs. 1and 4. These. bottles are constructed with necks 52 which have caps 53secured tothe outer ends of the same. The holder is particularly usefulin picking upbottlesfrom a case or insertingthe bottles back into a caseas the occasion arises. When the bottles in a case are to be picked up,the holder is placed over the casewith the arm 38; of lever 31 in theposition shown in Fig; 3. The holderis-then lowered-bymeans of handle 32until the necks e2 of the various bott-les 5I- enter the various nipplesI 8 and until the outermost bottles engage thestops 41. Byl nowraisingthe arm 38,V of lever 31, arm 39 of said lever is moved toward the leftas viewed in Fig. dy and the gang clamp 24 shifted toward its positionas shown in Fig. 4. in such position, the clamp forces part ofVv thetubular portions I9'of each nipple I8A into engagei ment withA the neck52 ofthe bottle received'within the same and causes the bottle to beretained within sa-id-l nipple. The entire device may now be lifted andcarried about by means of the handle 32, the arm 38A of lever 31 beingheld inA the position shown in Fig. I. If it is desired to hold thebottles in place without relying on manual pressure on the lever 31,this may be accomplished by shifting the keeper 45 into the positionshown in Fig; l. When the bottles have been s: deposited where desired',the same may be released by merely dropping the lever 31 and lifting upthe entire holder.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The device issimple inconstruction and easy to operate. By means of the nipples en. Vlof/ed',injury to the bottles is entirely prevented. The bottles are securelyheld in position regardless of whether or not the bottles may be ofstandard size or deviate therefrom. The lever used for operating thegang clamp has an operating arm which is so positioned in relation tothe handle of the bail that the same may be readily manipulated whilethe handle ofv the bail is being grasped by the user. The stops usedwith the invention insure the proper insertion of the necks of thebottles into` the nipples. By constructing the gangclamp-o a round rod,the gri-p members will not injurethe nipples.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as. herein described, maybe made withi-n the scope of what is claimed without departingfrom thespirit of my invention.

Having described my invention,l what I claim as new and desire to.protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A bottle holder comprising a frame constructed with spaced upper andIlower plates, said upper plate having a row of holes. therein and saidlower plate having a row. of companion holes opposite the holes. of saidupper plate torv form pairs. of registering holes 1n said Plates :torvthe,

reception of the necks of bottles, a gang clamp disposed between saidplates and constructed from a rod bent to provide transverse gripportions, one for each pair of holes, and longitudinally disposedconnecting portions therebetween and means for shiftingsaid clamp in adirection to urge said grip members toward the openings in said plates.

2. A bottle holder comprising a frame constructed with spaced upper andlower plates, said upper plate having a row of holes therein and saidlower plate having a row of companion holes opposite the holes of saidupper plate to form pairs of registering holes in said plates for thereception of the necks of bottles, a serpentine gang clamp disposedbetween said plates and having transverse grip portions, one for eachpair of holes, adapted to be moved toward said holes and means forshifting said gang clamp along said frame.

3. A bottle holder comprising a frame constructed with spaced upper andlower plates, said upper plate having a row of holes therein and saidlower plate having a row of companion holes opposite the holes of saidupper plate to form pairs of registering holes in said plates for thereception of the necks of bottles, a gang clamp disposed between saidplates and constructed of a rod bent to form transverse grip portionsand connecting portions therebetween alternately disposed on oppositesides of said clamp and means carried by said frame for shifting saidclamp along said frame.

4. A bottle holder comprising a frame constructed with a plate having anumber of holes therein, a flexible nipple disposed in each pair ofholes for receiving the necks of bottles, a gang clamp disposed betweensaid plates and constructed of round wire bent to form grip portionsdisposed adjacent said nipples, one for each nipple and means for urgingsaid grip portions of said clamp against said nipples to grip the bottlenecks received within said nipples.

PETER HAYWA.

REFERENCES CITED rhe following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,051,091 Ladewig et al Aug. 18,1936 2,133,320 Dawson Oct. 18, 1938 2,321,632 Siemund June 15, 19432,344,000 Read Mar. 14, 1944 2,414,942 Glazer Jan. 28, 1947

